I'm a scientific person and can certainly present instances of personal experience. I have some experience with death. I have been visited by people close to me who have passed on. And the nearest thing I can point to as describing the afterlife is the Robin Williams movie "What Dreams May Come".

Not long after his death, he is reunited with his dog, who had passed on long before him.

When a close friend had passed away, he passed through our house at the time of his death, as a desire to be near, one last time.

When my first wife passed away, she visited a few months later. And the impression was that the afterlife still included work and effort of a personal nature. And that she was okay and moving on but wanted to let me know before a final transition.

So, judging from my personal experience, there is a Rainbow Bridge and our pets are doing fine. It's not just an abstract concept for me or a way to feel better about their passing or something to tell kids that are upset at their passing. It's a place of great joy that they go to when it is their time.

I'm sorry you lost your wife Ron. That must have been very hard. Thank you for sharing such comforting sentiments. I don't know what I believe in a factual way, but nevertheless, the idea and the experiences you had makes death not seem so final. Nice post.